It is time for our annual look back at the best iPhone case releases of the year. This year brands were, in some cases, forced to contend with Apple’s new iPhone Air form-factor, but things were largely the same as 2024 otherwise. Our yearly iPhone case awards features some beloved brands alongside some all-new designs and a couple sleeper hits that might have slipped under your radar.
Best leather case
This category is always a tough one – there are effectively three, and now four brands, that could easily take the top spot this year and, frankly, for the past few years.
If you’re talking the tried, tested, and true models, you truly cannot go wrong with MUJJO and Nomad’s Traditional Leather – they are wonderful cases. For something with a bit more of that vintage flare and wonderfully old school stitch work you might find on a timeless pair of American-made leather boots, you want to head straight over to Burton Goods. And this year (more on this one below), we are adding the Bluebonnet Minimalist Full-Grain Leather model – it goes toe-to-toe with the big boys, but it’s going to cost you.
- Nomad Traditional Leather Case from $65
- MUJJO Full Leather iPhone 17 Case from $49
- MUJJO Full Leather Wallet iPhone 17 Case from $69
- Burton Goods Heritage Leather Case For iPhone Air from $63
- Burton Goods Heritage Leather Case For iPhone 17 from $69
- Bluebonnet Minimalist Full-Grain Leather iPhone MagSafe Case from $79
Hands-on: Nomad Traditional Leather for iPhone 17 Pro – not the same as last year, but still one of the best
Hands-on: If you’re looking for a proper artisan leather iPhone Air case, check this one out [Deal]
Best new iPhone case
While Bluebonnet is not a new brand per se, it is new to us and it has quickly landed on our short list for the best cases out there.
I have been using its Minimalist Full-Grain Leather iPhone 17 Air MagSafe Case for more than a couple months now and it is simply gorgeous. While brands like Nomad, Burton Goods, and MUJJO remain the gold standard in leather iPhone covers, they have some stiff competition from the American-made leather work on the Bluebonnet models. I particularly appreciate the lack of any exposed plastics here – like you see on much of the competition – but where this case really shines is in its dedicated Camera Control button and, more specifically, its perfect metal button covers. They are simply the most clicky and responsive implementations I have tested out all year.
- Bluebonnet Minimalist Full-Grain Leather iPhone MagSafe Case from $79
Hands-on: Make sure this Texas-based Bluebonnet leather is on your radar
Best iPhone 17 Bumper Case
Apple new iPhone Air Bumper is a notable a relatively affordable rubber-like option, but the Arc Pulse remains the most impressive and elegant bumper-style model out there if you ask me. It is available in a wide-range of colors and for all of the iPhone 17 series devices. The metal build and adhesive-free installation are about as good as it gets and despite not providing complete edge protection, it does safeguard the corners of your device as well as the top and bottom while remaining the most attractive option in the category.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max:
- Matte Black $69.99
- Polished Silver $89.99
- Polished Graphite $99.99
- Polished Rose Bronze $109.99
- Polished Gold $129.99
- Titanium Onyx Black $299.99
iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air:
Hands-on: Arc Pulse for iPhone 17/Pro – still the most elegant bumper case out there
Most Unique iPhone 17 Case
While the Arc Pulse has landed atop this category in years past, it doesn’t feel quite as unique anymore considering how many copycats are out there now, and it’s hard to deny the new Beats Kickstand Case here. We came away quite impressed after getting a demo at this year’s Apple iPhone 17 launch event, delivering a super clean case that also features a dual-function and very much detachable wrist lanyard that doubles as a kickstand by way of a small adapter. There are other cases out there that can accomplish this sort of built-in kickstand action, but not quite in the same away and not with that (sort of) in-house and (almost) first-party touch.
- Beats iPhone 17 Kickstand Case from $23 (Reg. $59)
- Beats iPhone 17 Pro Kickstand Case from $32 (Reg. $59)
- Beats iPhone 17 Pro Max Kickstand Case from $45 (Reg. $59)
I saw the Beats Kickstand Case during my iPhone briefing at Apple Park earlier this month, and there was an audible gasp when the Apple representative showed us the hidden kickstand design.
Hands-on: The clever Beats Kickstand case for iPhone 17
Best Underrated iPhone 17 Case
While the more futuristic-like designs might not be for everyone, it has always been a bit odd to me how under the radar the Aulumu cases have been, outside of the fact that it seems to a relatively unknown brand by comparison to some and these cases aren’t exactly the most affordable. The real standout model for me is the A17 Magnetic Thermal Case – this one combines a Camera Control cover with particularly strong MagSafe alongside an interesting design, camera array protection, glow-in-the-dark line accents (“fluorescence requires the absorption of other light energy, which is then released in darkness”), aluminum components, and the brand’s patented CoolHyper Cooling Tech – “heat dissipation is primarily achieved through passive cooling fins and thermal silicone gel (reducing temperatures by 2-3 degrees compared to conventional protective cases).”
- Aulumu A17 iPhone 17/Pro Case $40
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